Academy Home – Session Descriptions – 2025 Schedule – Registration
Tuesday Keynote: Rehema Ellis is NBC News’ Chief Education correspondent and reports for all platforms of NBC News, including NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Today, NBCNews.com, MSNBC and NBC News Now. Ellis joined NBC News in 1994 as a general assignment correspondent. She began her broadcast career at KDKA Radio and TV in Pittsburgh. Later, she worked in Boston at WHDH-TV as a reporter and weekend anchor. Ellis has been part of major headliner stories, including the attacks on the World Trade Center. She was the first person to identify the attack on the air as “Nine-Eleven”. She has reported on Donald Trump’s Defamation Trial and his Civil Fraud Trial in New York. Ellis also covered Hurricane Katrina, the death of Michael of Jackson and the Rwandan Genocide. She has distinguished herself as a lead correspondent and received numerous awards including local and national Emmys, Edward R. Murrow Awards, Associated Press awards and awards from the National Association of Black Journalists. She is also a recipient of an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Journalism. Ellis was part of the NBC Emmy award-winning coverage of the plane crash in the Hudson River called “Miracle on the Hudson” in 2008. She also won an Emmy for her reporting on the 2008 Presidential Election of Barack Obama and his historic inauguration. Born in North Carolina, and raised in Boston, she graduated from Simmons University in Boston and Columbia Graduate School of Journalism in New York. The History Makers interview of her life is included in the Library of Congress. Ellis currently lives in New York City with her son.
Tuesday Afternoon Keynote Presenters: Quaron “Q” Pinckney (he/him) is the Head of Athletics for the Burlington School District, entering his 5th year with the district and 7th as an athletic director. Q has a master’s degree in Athletic Leadership and Administration from Castleton University and a bachelor’s degree from St. Mike’s, where he played basketball and studied Media Studies and Journalism, with minors in marketing and psychology. Originally from the Bronx, New York, Q lives in Winooski with his partner Carly and their Boston Terrier, Rhubarb. He remains active and enjoys quality time with family and friends.
Mike Jabour (he/him) is the Director of Athletics for South Burlington High and Middle School, beginning his 8th year with the district and 12th year as an athletic director. He earned his degree in Sports Administration from Castleton University, where he played football. Michael grew up in South Burlington and now resides in Essex Junction.
Dr. Lauren Young (she/her) is the Assistant Executive Director at the Vermont Principals’ Association, focusing on athletics and activities. A lifelong athlete, she has a doctorate in Education Leadership at the University of Southern Mississippi, focusing on reducing hate speech toward student-athletes. Prior to joining the VPA, Lauren served in various educational leadership roles, including as an elementary principal, curriculum coordinator, and assistant principal in schools across California, Idaho, and Vermont. Her first teaching role was in alternative education in Wisconsin.
Wednesday Morning Keynote: Jimmy Casas has been an educator for over 30 years, serving twenty-two years as a school leader, including fourteen years as Principal. He is the author of ten books, including the best-selling book Culturize and Recalibrate the Culture. His latest release, Words on the Wall is already a top seller on Amazon! Jimmy is the owner and CEO of J Casas & Associates, where he serves as a professional leadership coach for school leaders across the country. In January 2020, Jimmy launched ConnectEDD, a publishing company aimed at giving back to the profession by supporting educators to become published authors.
Thursday Morning Keynote & Workshop Presenter: Dr. Jacqueline Sanderlin holds a BA in Communications/Public Relations, an MA in Special Education, and an EdD in Education, Leadership, Administration, and Policy. With over 30 years of experience in education, she has worked as a special education teacher, curriculum specialist, assistant principal, principal, district administrator, and executive director of school and community engagement in LAUSD, Culver City, Compton, and Inglewood. Dr. J’s community partnership work was featured on NBC’s School Pride and inspired her book, The Why Not Challenge: Say Yes to Success with School Community Partnerships. She now serves as the National Leadership Executive Manager at Apple.
Workshop Presenter: K.D. Wilson is a dynamic speaker, acclaimed author, and educational innovator who has dedicated his career to empowering students, educators, and communities. Over the past decade, K.D. has directly impacted over 40,000 students and educators across 13 states, fostering growth and transformation in the fields of academic success, leadership development, and personal growth. A proud father of four, K.D. holds degrees with honors from North Carolina A&T State University and Duke University, exemplifying his commitment to excellence both personally and professionally. With 11 authored books under his belt, his work spans academic, leadership, and personal development, equipping individuals with the tools to lead impactful lives. K.D. is the creator of an innovative Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum titled, “I Lead The Way,” that is serving as a transformative resource for schools across the southern United States and is rapidly expanding to other regions. His restorative justice programs are designed to reach high-risk students, providing them with pathways to success and helping them overcome challenges through accountability and personal leadership. Through his online courses, K.D. bridges the gap between academic theory and practical leadership strategies, enabling individuals to take charge of their personal and professional lives. His thought-provoking approach to personal leadership development encourages participants to discover their potential and take actionable steps toward achieving their goals. K.D. is able to blend experience with academia because of his diverse areas of expertise. Prior to launching his own platform as an academic and leadership specialist, K.D. served as a police officer for 8 years after serving as a public elementary school teacher. K.D.’s mission is simple yet profound: to ignite lasting change in the lives of those he serves. Whether he’s standing on a stage, guiding educators, or mentoring students, his message remains clear—growth starts from within, and everyone has the power to lead the way to their own success.
Workshop Presenter Jeanie Phillips (she/her) is a Senior Associate with Great Schools Partnership, where she works closely with educators around New England to create more just, engaging, and equitable learning environments for learners. In her capacity as a Rowland Foundation Senior Associate, she also facilitates Rowland Fellowship cohorts as they engage in their inquiry projects. Jeanie began her career in education as a school librarian more than twenty years ago, working in both elementary and secondary school settings, and was awarded a Rowland Fellowship in 2014. She is currently enrolled in the education policy and leadership doctoral program at the University of Vermont. Her research interests are educational equity, collaborative practices, and culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogies.
Workshop Presenter: Michael Martin (he/him) is the Executive Director of the Rowland Foundation. He has worked as a classroom teacher, teacher leader, presenter, adjunct professor, consultant, and district administrator. He holds a doctorate in Education Leadership & Policy Studies from the University of Vermont. In 2009, he received a Rowland Fellowship to focus on learner engagement and then worked as a Senior Associate for the Foundation for ten years. He has been fortunate to work with Grant Wiggins, Angela Duckworth, Katie Novak, and Peter Senge over the course of his career and was one of 100 education innovators invited to participate in the National Summit on Competency-Based Education in 2017. He co-created and offered The Vermont Leading Proficiency Series for Great Schools Partnership in 2018. Since 2019, he has been a contributing member of Vermont’s Act 1 Ethnic Studies & Social Equity Standards Work Group. His work focuses on learner agency, equity, and school transformation.
Alana Winnick is an award-winning leader who holds positions as the Educational Technology Director and Data Protection Officer for Pocantico Hills CSD in Sleepy Hollow, NY, and Hudson Valley Director for the New York State Association for Computers and Technology in Education (NYSCATE). She has received prestigious national leadership awards for her contributions to the field and has established herself as a leading expert on AI in education. Alana is both the author and host of The Generative Age, a book and podcast that explores the rapidly evolving world of generative artificial intelligence and its impact on education. She is also the founder of Students for Innovation, an organization that empowers students to become advocates for change in their schools.
Kim Nelson is a full time Leader in Me Coach and Consultant that began her journey with FranklinCovey in 2017. Prior to joining FranklinCovey, Kim was a principal serving at PK-12 levels, for 17 years. She believes that all adults and students are leaders and can utilize the habits and practices to grow and find potential in themselves and others. Kim is also a certified executive coach, partnering to lead executive coach training courses within Franklin Covey. Kim’s mission statement is to ‘encourage and inspire others to find their greatness,’ which she strives to live daily. As an educator, she finds joy in seeing schools and individuals grow and empower others. Kim lives in rural Iowa where she enjoys spending time with her family at athletic events
Academy Home – Session Descriptions – 2025 Academy Schedule – Registration